Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

⁶ While Jesus was at Bethany, in the house of Simon (known as “the Leper”), ⁷ a woman came to him who had an alabaster vase of extremely valuable ointment. She poured it on his head as he was reclining at the table.

⁸ When the disciples saw it, they were furious.

“What’s the point of all this waste?” they said. ⁹ “This could have been sold for a fortune, and the money could have been given to the poor!”

¹⁰ Jesus knew what they were thinking.

“Why make life difficult for the woman?” he said. “It’s a lovely thing, what she’s done for me. ¹¹ You always have the poor with you, don’t you? But you won’t always have me. ¹² When she poured this ointment on my body, you see, she did it to prepare me for my burial. ¹³ I’m telling you the truth: wherever this gospel is announced in all the world, what she has just done will be told, and people will remember her.”